Miami baseball loses series versus Clemson

The Miami baseball team lost its three-game series versus Clemson in Coral Gables this weekend. Miami beat Clemson 3-2 with a dramatic walk-off home run in the bottom of the ninth inning on Thursday night, lost 3-2 on Friday and 7-0 on Saturday. Miami drops to 16-12 overall and 6-6 in the ACC this season.

After taking a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning on Thursday, the Miami baseball team fell behind as Clemson had single runs in the second and third innings to gain the lead. Matthew Marchal and Lucas Mahlstedt combined to allow only the one Miami run over the first eight innings.

Gage Ziehl had a career night for Miami on Thursday. Ziehl pitched a complete game allowing two runs, one earned on seven hits in nine innings with no walks and 15 strikeouts. After Jason Torres walked, catcher Jack Hughes hit a high fly ball down the right field line that went over the wall for a 3-2 Miami win.

On Friday night, Clemson took a 2-0 lead in the top of the first. Miami cut their deficit in half in the bottom of the first. Clemson and Miami traded runs in the fourth before both pitching staffs hurled shutouts the rest of the game. Clemson and Miami each used four different pitchers on Friday.

Rafe Schlesinger had another good outing. Schlesinger pitched seven innings, allowing five hits, three earned runs with two walks and eight strikeouts. Daniel Cuvet and Torres each had two hits for Miami. Clemson won despite six different batters recording one hit each.

Clemson jumped on Miami for the second straight game with a three run first inning. The Tigers added to that with one in the third and three in the sixth. Clemson leadoff hitter Cam Cannarella had two hits and his three-run double in the sixth blew the game open. Jacob Hinderleider had two hits and two RBIs for Clemson.

Herrick Hernandez was lit up for the second straight start. Hernandez allowed seven runs, five earned, in 5.1 innings. Aidan Knaak pitched seven innings, allowing one hit, no runs, one walk and 10 strikeouts. Antonio Jimenez and Torres had one hit each for Miami.

Miami won its midweek game 14-7 on Wednesday at FIU. Four Hurricanes finished with multiple hits at FIU. Blake Cyr was 2-2 with three walks and three runs scored. Four Miami relief pitchers allowed one run in 4.2 innings to shut down FIU after Miami fell behind 7-6. A six-run Miami seventh inning was the difference in the game.

Miami is at Florida Atlantic before a three-game series at Duke next weekend. Miami will return home on April 9 to host FAU. Miami does not play an ACC home game until they host Louisville from April 19-21. Miami plays at Florida State in two weeks.